Sunshine Coast community benefits from new initiative to improve beach accessibility

Sunshine Coast Council together with The Compass Institute are making the beaches even more accessible for people of all abilities with the delivery of a new beach wheelchair and two lifejackets - available to hire at no-cost.

The Compass Institute is a not-for-profit charity providing education and extra pathways to young people with intellectual and physical disabilities.

This new weekday service complements Sunshine Coast Council’s existing popular program that offers beach matting and beach wheelchairs at Kings, Coolum, Mooloolaba and Alexandra Headland beaches on weekends and public holidays between September and May each year.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said council has strongly supported initiatives that improve accessibility to their beaches and recognised the need to expand the existing popular program that first rolled out at Alexandra Headland in April 2017.

Mayor Jamieson notes “our Council is extremely pleased to partner with The Compass Institute to offer this new chair to residents and visitors to our region.

“The wheelchair has large tyres, which provide a low-pressure footprint, allowing the beach wheelchair to float over the softest sand or pebble beaches to reach the water.

“Focusing on the ability within a disability is crucial to expanding opportunities for everyone in our community and to improving the liveability and accessibility of our region.

“Our beaches are arguably one of the most popular, family friendly tourism destinations in Queensland and we want to ensure that they can be accessed by anyone looking to enjoy that experience.

“Our volunteer lifeguards of Metropolitan-Caloundra, Coolum Beach, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Clubs offer a great service and support with the existing chairs and matting available each weekend, but now through the support of the Compass Institute, access to our beaches by people with a disability can be improved every day.”

The Compass Institute Team Leader, Rose Rimmer adds “this initiative is a fantastic collaboration between Sunshine Coast Council and Compass.

“It will give those living with a disability the opportunity to enjoy the amazing beaches of the Sunshine Coast.

“Compass is excited to be part of this project and looks forward to helping our local community and visitors to the region.”

Metropolitan-Caloundra SLSC President Jim Chisholm’s grandchild uses a wheelchair and he has witnessed first-hand, how beach wheelchairs can improve accessibility.

“It provides tremendous access for people wanting to get to the beach and it’s incredible to see people experiencing the water for the first time.

“We helped an 80-year-old gentlemen who just wanted to put his feet in the water and it was one of the best things you could see.

“Providing all year round access is a great step forward for the council and one of the best things they’ve done.”

Division 2 Councillor Terry Landsberg said the existing beach matting helped make life easier for parents with prams and seniors to navigate the sand advising “our beaches are such an important part of the Sunshine Coast lifestyle and I’m very proud to see programs such as these expand to make the beach more accessible for more people, more often.

“This is another step in the right direction and assists to enable people with a disability to move about the region with dignity, pride and independence.”

The new beach wheelchair and two lifejackets are available to hire at no-cost between Monday and Friday every week of the year from the Compass Institute at 2 Central Park Road opposite the Caloundra Aquatic Centre. 

For more information on access, inclusion and disability services and support please visit www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Living-and-Community/Community-Support/Access-Inclusion-and-Disability